Abi – why would she bother sitting on the oppositio side, I’m assuming you mean labour? Aren’t they all saying the same thing now (and please no more crap and how wonderful the labour party was to us and what they achieved and how awful it was under Thatcher !) … all major parties are advocating inequality – one law for straight people (marriage) and another for gay people (civil partnerships) – that really isn’t 100% equality!

In the UK there is only 96 percent equality. There is 4 percent of inequality left to go in 2010 – 3 percent is the discrimination still in marriage legislation (civil partnerships are not marriage remember and someone should tell Stonewall that!) and the other 1 percent is the banning of gay and bisexual men from donating blood.

She said: “The government is 100 per cent committed to completing the journey to full LGB and T equality. We have made clear our determination to tackle discrimination and make this country a more tolerant, equal and fair place for everybody.”

Well now, Ms. Featherstone is either delusional, in denial, a bare-faced liar or all three. Why isn’t she the first then in her party to support civil marriage equality if she is so committed 100%? There’s NOTHING equal about banning us from marrying, for those of us who want it. She’s an idiot, just like Cameron et al, wouldn’t know what full equality is if it bit her in the arse, ditto Tory and Labour parties combined.

Well it seems that Nick Glegg is still mentioning “gay marriage” – it would be nice to know that this is more that hype though –

Here is part of his message prior to pride

Sat, 03 Jul 2010

The Leader of the Liberal Democrats celebrates London Pride’s 40th anniversary.

Pride London is a special event with a proud tradition of 40 years – fighting, working and protesting for change, for recognition, for equality.

The Liberal Democrats are passionate supporters of equality for the LGBT community and strong supporters of Pride London. That’s why we have been clear on opposing Section 28, supporting equal adoption rights, promoting civil partnerships, pushing for gay marriage, working against homophobic bullying and banning discrimination in the workplace.

I’m especially proud that the in the new Government it is Liberal Democrat MP Lynne Featherstone who is the new Minister for Equalities. In Lynne you have an effective champion who will work for equality for all.

Religious civil partnerships? isn’t this the government trying to get round the problems caused by inequality with giving equality? They should give us full equality and not what they lieing call full equality.

I’m going to be a little optimistic, especially since I come from a country that doesn’t have the amount of equality that the UK does.

First, I’m going to assume that by “LGB and T” she was emphasising the T part as something that is often forgotten and that she wants to assure us that the T is just as much a part of the community that she wants to fight for.

Second, she is LibDem not Tory, so we are better off than if it were just a Tory in this department. Maybe between her and Nick Clegg we can pressure them enough for marriage equality that they can push for it with the Tories. In all honesty, it would behoove David Cameron to push for marriage equality, since he is cutting money left and right, this is something that will cost the government no money but will be seen as expanding rights for the people.

In all honesty, it would behoove David Cameron to push for marriage equality, since he is cutting money left and right, this is something that will cost the government no money but will be seen as expanding rights for the people.

Before I comment I do commend anyone who is pushing for LGBT equality so do please follow Michael’s suggestion.

The first comment I wish to make is that the religious right wing of the Conservative party are in charge as we can see from the makeup of the cabinet. This comes as no surprise because the religious right wing of the party is huge compared with any other grouping. That is why it is very unlikely that marriage equality will be forthcoming.

The second comment is that in fact the Conservatives are not cutting money “left and right”. They are making huge cuts in public services.

To give you an idea, the private schools in the UK currently have charitable status. There is absolutely nothing charitable about the schools whatsoever, but they do have this status. If the government removed that charitable status they would then have £100,000,000 per year that they do not have at present.

The government is only taking money from the poorer sectors of society. It is not taking it from the wealthy.

It can’t be easy for Lynne working under Theresa, yet having to be the person out of that pair who will no doubt have to take the lead and keeping pushing Theresa May into the 21st century. Given the prominence of London LGBT pride, I think its pretty bad that Theresa May wasn’t there. Mostly shocking because surely the senior Equality minister should be, of all things, at a march & festival all about equal rights for all.
She will no doubt have her PR line ready to justify her absence, but actions (or lack thereof in this case) speak louder than words. Lynne being there is great, but it is not a substitute to make Theresa’s absence OK.

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